Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Tacos Recipe
These Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Tacos are a flavorful and healthy plant-based meal featuring perfectly spiced roasted cauliflower florets, a creamy cilantro lime cashew crema, and a crunchy cilantro lime cabbage slaw. Served with fresh pico de gallo, avocado, black beans, and cilantro lime rice, this dish is vibrant, nutritious, and ideal for a satisfying vegan taco night.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 small tacos 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cilantro Lime Crema
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ – 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 clove garlic
Cilantro Lime Cabbage Slaw
- 2 ½ cups shredded purple cabbage
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt*
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Extras For Serving
- 8 small tortillas (corn tortillas for gluten-free option)
- 2 cups instant pot black beans
- 1 batch cilantro lime rice
- 1 avocado
- Pico de gallo
Instructions
- Soften Cashews: Add the cashews to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soften for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205°C) to prepare for roasting the cauliflower.
- Prepare Cauliflower: Chop the cauliflower into medium to small florets, smaller for softer texture or larger for more crunch. Place them in a bowl and toss with avocado oil, chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt until coated evenly.
- Roast Cauliflower: Spread the seasoned cauliflower florets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until they start to brown, typically 25 minutes followed by turning off the oven and letting them sit inside for an additional 5 minutes to prevent burning.
- Make Cilantro Lime Slaw: In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded purple cabbage, chopped cilantro, lime juice, plain Greek yogurt, and salt. Toss well to fully incorporate and develop the fresh slaw.
- Blend Cilantro Lime Crema: Drain the softened cashews and add them to a high-speed blender along with cilantro, lime juice, garlic, salt, and ½ cup water to start. Blend until creamy, adding more water (up to 1 cup total) to achieve the desired smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Assemble Tacos: Warm the tortillas, then build each taco starting with a base of roasted cauliflower, followed by a generous layer of cilantro lime slaw, pico de gallo, sliced avocado, and a drizzle of cilantro lime crema.
- Serve: Serve the tacos with sides of cilantro lime rice and instant pot black beans for a complete, hearty meal. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use any oil with a high smoke point like avocado or vegetable oil for roasting the cauliflower.
- For a vegan option, substitute the plain Greek yogurt in the slaw with a plant-based alternative such as vegan yogurt or vegan mayo.
- Smaller cauliflower florets will be softer, larger ones will have more crunch in the tacos, choose based on preference.
- If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak cashews longer or blend longer for a smooth crema.
- This recipe works well with corn tortillas to keep it gluten-free.
Keywords: vegan tacos, roasted cauliflower tacos, cilantro lime crema, vegan Mexican recipe, plant-based tacos, gluten free tacos
